


and i'll rip out my insides and leave them on display for you tonight

by exhibit



Category: One Direction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 02:37:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1140437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exhibit/pseuds/exhibit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>it all started when harry accidentally takes louis’ phone instead of his and well, he’s sure louis is cheating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and i'll rip out my insides and leave them on display for you tonight

it all started with harry accidentally grabbing louis’ phone instead of his when he was heading to the grocery store.

texts after text came through, from a number that harry had never seen and well, that made him a bit curious and probably a bad boyfriend but oh well. once he had leah strapped into her carseat, he got into the drivers seat and shut the door; somehow shielding the outside world from knowing what he was doing; invading louis’ privacy and perhaps his trust.

he scrolled and scrolled through the messages; all cryptic and vague. meeting times and places, see ya soons and just; it made his stomach feel weird and his heart catch.

he quickly clicked out of the messages and shoved the phone into the glove compartment, looking in the rearview mirror at leah, her chewing on her stuffed dumbo with a gurgle.”don’t tell daddy.” he whispered out to the baby before backing out of the drive.

*

when harry and leah got back home, he carried her in with one arm while holding a bag in the other, setting it on the counter and sticking her in her playpen and he stopped as he saw louis on his hands and knees looking under the couch.”nice view. but what are you doing?”

"i can’t find my bloody phone. have you-" he stopped as harry dug into his pocket and pulled his phone out, louis smiled as he stood up and leaned up and kissed harry’s jaw, taking his phone from harry’s hand."that never occurred to me. huh." he looked down at the screen as he headed up the stairs.

"i’ll just get the groceries myself." harry called out to louis as he rolled his eyes and went to retrieve the rest of the groceries.

*

the hushed calls and quick texts don’t stop either, louis talking in code to whoever is on the other end and every time harry nonchalantly questions who louis was talking too; harry knows louis lies. he can tell by the pause in his throat and the look on his face but harry never calls him out for it; too afraid of the answers but he knows.

he knows louis is cheating on him.

and that thought plagues him at night when the house is quiet and he can hear louis’ soft snores and wonders if any other man gets to see louis like this, after he’s all fucked out with his body covered in a film of sweat and come; mingling together on his stomach. and then his stomach lurches and he quickly turns over, squeezing his eyes shut.

*

harry stood on the sidelines as he sipped his flute of champagne, his green eyes roaming around the room, all these men in suits and tried to imagine which one louis would go after. what louis’ type was if it wasn’t him. he had been louis’ type since he was sixteen. or well, he thought he was.

one direction had to make an appearance for some shindig simon was throwing, lexi had opted to stay back home since this was never her scene anyway and watched leah and harry really wished he had opted to stay home too; suits be damned.

zayn slid up next to him, drinking some fruity cocktail.”what are you so intensely looking at?”

harry gestured toward the room.”what guy do you think louis would like?”

zayn made a face.”i. what? i don’t think i even wanna know.” he turned to leave but harry reached for his arm.

“seriously, if he and i weren’t together what would his type be?”

zayn said nothing for a second before grabbing harry’s flute from his hand.”fuck if know but i think you’ve had enough.” he walked off, shaking his head and muttering something about weird sex acts.

harry spotted louis talking to some blond with broad shoulders and a nice smile and he wondered what they were talking about, wondered if louis had ever been underneath him, moaning out his name and he quickly headed to the open bar.

*

harry’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, it’s louis with a picture of his hard cock is outlined in his black jeans.

 

he looked around the room and he eyes spot louis coming from the bathroom and louis waves, a wiggle of his fingers, and harry drained the rest of his drink, joining louis at the door.

*

the car ride home was mostly silent aside from the radio on low and the hum of the car or maybe it was his nerves jolting through him as he couldn’t wrap his mind around tonight; seeing louis at ease tonight, mingling with these other men; knowing they saw exactly what harry did in louis.

they quickly stopped by the horan’s and picked up a sleeping leah and headed home, putting her in her crib and switching her night light on while louis and harry headed down the hall to their own bedroom.

louis took off his jacket and shoes before going into the bathroom, brushing his teeth and removing his contacts while harry removed his blazer and kicked his boots off, his head swirling around and then louis was in front of him, a bright smile tugging at his lips before he was leaning up and kissing under harry’s jaw, sucking a bruise into the skin as he tugged at the hem of harry’s shirt, harry lifting it over his head and throwing it to the floor as louis guided them both to the bed.

harry’s back hit the mattress as louis kissed down his naked torso; his tongue swirling around the ink on his skin and he nuzzled his nose into the fine hair below his belly button, his hands working the belt while he mouthed at the hard outline of harry’s cock through his slacks.

harry closed his eyes, his breathing labored as his hand ran through louis’ feathered hair and leaning up on his elbow as louis looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes, his eyes bluer than ever and the image made harry’s stomach jump; louis’ fingertips were running idly over all the scars lining his hipbone, harry sucked in a breathe; knowing louis could feel the indents of the deeper ones.

and louis must have noticed the shift in his demeanor as he kissed maybe we will… and made a face up at harry.”you alright?”

harry’s brow furrowed as he looked down at louis’ fingers, touching the most sacred part of who he was; old scars and fresh lines. knowing that whoever got to see louis like this never had to worry about scars and cuts and whether they were too sore to be touched or whether he was self conscious about them that day and louis never had to worry about whether some other man was going to go too far one night; offing themselves in a locked bathroom, feet from their bed.

harry swallowed the lump in his throat and louis reached up and touched his throat.”babe.”

harry shook his head and gave louis a weak smile.”just. too much alcohol.” he pulled louis up and pressed a dry kiss to the corner of louis’ mouth and thankfully louis didn’t question it and just reached over to turn the lamp off and snuggled into harry’s side.

*

running for harry wasn’t just about fitness but it was also a way to expel his negative thoughts and feel free from everything surrounding him. his feet crunched underneath the dirt and leaves at the nature park miles from their house. sweat dripped down his back, making the extra big t-shirt cling to his skin grossly, and face and everything about the situation was eating at his insides and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could pretend that louis wasn’t cheating on him and the thing that bothered him most was how louis could look him in the eyes day after day and not feel an inch of guilt.

that thought alone, made him hit the ground harder.

*

when he arrived home, louis was sipping tea and sitting in a chair opposite leah in her highchair sharing a bowl of cheerios. louis gave leah a ridiculous grin, eskimo kissing her.”look who’s home! it’s papa.”

harry grabbed a handful of louis’ fringe, tilting his head back gently and kissed him properly, tasting of tea and pears.”i’m gonna jump in the shower.” he placed a kissed on leah’s forehead before shucking his t-shirt over his head and stuffing it into louis’ face with a laugh.

*

when harry existed the bathroom and into their bedroom, he stopped in his tracks when he saw louis leaning back against their headboard with leah sitting in his lap, happy as a clam with drool seeping from the corners of her mouth, the tv played some cheesy baby show and he wondered when the truth came out, would they still be like this? one happy family.

louis shifted leah in his lap when he saw harry come out of the bathroom.”looking good there, styles. eleven out of ten. would do again.” 

harry rolled his eyes as he shoved his wet hair from his face as he opened his underwear drawer.

“hey, so. danny and ant are coming in to see zayn this weekend and zayn’s got paintball setup and wanted to know if i was free. you can come too if you want. i just need to let someone know to watch leah.”

harry snapped the elastic of his shorts into place and shook his head as he crawled onto the bed, lying flat on his stomach, his chin on louis’ thigh.”i think leah and i could entertain ourselves.”

*

louis had left an hour ago and harry and leah were heading to the pool, her cooing and clapping her hands once her feet touched the water, her little fist clenching tight to harry’s necklace as he moved through the water with her.

and once she was all pruny and he had had enough sun, he brought her in and dried her off and dressed in a green onesie, settling her down so they could spend the rest of the evening pigging out on cheerios, peanut butter cookies and for him, pizza and beer.

the lion king was already in the dvd player waiting. he plopped down on the couch with her beside him, something digging into his hip and he reached underneath him between the cushions, pulling out the offensive object; louis’ phone.

he made a face as he looked at the phone and quickly scrolled through the messages, the last one just an hour and a half ago and harry’s heart almost thundered from his chest. the same number as all the other messages were asking louis to meet at their restaurant, exact time and asking what drink to order louis. and harry didn’t need to read anymore to know.

he stuck the phone in his pocket, scooped up leah and legged it across to zayn’s.

*

harry made it to the restaurant in record time, his body vibrating with anger as he saw louis sitting across from a balding, stocky man on the patio, a lit candle between them and whiskey sours.

the smile dropped from louis’ face as he caught sight of harry approaching and he quickly stood, almost toppling over his char.”haz, what are you doing here?”

harry reached into his pocket and tossed louis his phone, it landed on the concrete with a crack instead and louis’ mouth dropped open as he stared at harry.”maybe you should fucking learn to lock your phone.” he scrubbed a hand over his face nervously, his eyes connecting with the guy still sitting.”i totally get it, lou. why. whether it’s because you wanted to try someone else or just because you’re fucking tired of my bullshit but jesus, why couldn’t you have just said something? you know-”

louis shook his head, his face scrunching up in utter confusion.”what the fuck are you talking about?”

harry gestured toward the man, the restaurant and shrugged.”this. the cheating. i would have completely understood. just. i don’t know why you couldn’t have told me instead of sneaking around.”

louis shook his head as he glanced to the man then back to harry, raking his fingers through his hair.”haz. i’m not cheating on you.” he sighed as he pointed to the man.”this is mr. lyndon hardy. he’s a travel agent.” and louis could see the panic and embarrassment flash through harry’s eyes.

“a travel agent.” harry repeated as he looked around at the scene he was obviously making and sprinted back down the walk to his range rover.

*

harry heard when louis came into the bedroom and he burrowed deeper into the covers and louis draped himself over harry’s body and kissed his nose.”i know you’re not asleep.”

harry shook louis off and rolled over, facing him. louis petted his hair and gave him a timid smile.”if you think after seven years of being with you and only you that i would leave you because things got a bit rough, what does that actually say about us? do you not trust me at all? that i wouldn’t come to you when i thought i was falling apart by keeping you together?”

harry didn’t say anything as he had no idea where to even begin and after being nudged by louis, he sighed and dug the heel of his palms into his eyes and shrugged.”i just thought maybe this was getting to you. i understand that too. that maybe it would be easier for you. i don’t ever want to be the cause of your life-

louis firmly placed his hand over harry’s mouth.”my life wouldn’t be anything like it is if you weren’t in it so please don’t fucking take that away from me.”

harry nodded and louis removed his hand.”now. put some joggers on and sit up.” louis pulled himself from the bed while harry did the same, retrieving sweats from the drawer and sat back down on the bed, a bit weary of where they stood.

louis tossed a packet at him, harry looked down at the papers. france. paris to be precise as he saw the eiffel tower’s guide. he thumbed through estimates, many hotels, and destinations points. he looked up to louis, a look of sheer bafflement on his face as he had no idea what to even say, so louis did instead.

“i know we’ve been there so many times. and i know it’s one of your favorite places so i wanted places that we haven’t seen. and a paris trip wouldn’t be complete without the eiffel tower.”

harry looked down at the pile of papers, some little cafe called cafe charbon was listed and the catacombs and the arc of triomphe.

“everything was almost all planned out. the eiffel tower at night was last stop. i was going to ask you to marry me.”

harry’s head shot up at the confession.”i-what?” the thought that he had ruined something so huge for them, scared him.

“i still am going to ask. just not tonight. not after this. but when i do, you’ll say yes?”

“you still want to?”

louis tilted his head a bit and nodded.”can you imagine how great of a story this is gonna be? me getting to tell everyone how you ruined my big, romantic gesture because you’re a jealous bastard?” he smiled brightly.

harry nodded, smiling.”i’ll always say yes.” he pulled louis against him, hugging him probably tighter than ever.”will you still take me to paris?” he whispered against louis’ neck, hope lingering in his voice and louis’ bright laugh echoed in his ear; and that told harry everything.


End file.
